Debris, trees and even roofs were blown around Mahanoy City Monday evening in a powerful storm the National Weather Service confirmed as a tornado.
“We went out after everything passed,” said a woman named Clara, who lives on Centre Street and declined to give her last name. She was home when the storm hit.
“I thought it was gone and I opened the door and I saw it almost at the end of town, I saw the funnel going,” Clara said.
Officials from the National Weather Service, Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) and the Schuylkill County Emergency Management Agency toured the borough to assess the damage. Surveyors from the National Weather Service determined the storm was an EF1 on the EF scale, with winds up to 90 miles per hour.
Officials said no injuries have been reported. The American Red Cross responded but said only a handful of people needed shelter due to power outages. PPL reported power was restored to most homes by Tuesday morning.
John Blickley is director of the Schuylkill County Emergency Management Agency.
“It looks like it followed a path to the north of the school building and then crossed Centre Street here and then follows the railroad east towards the Eighth street park,” he said of the storm.
Blickley said the worst damage appeared to hit the Mahanoy Area School District buildings, with roof damage causing water damage inside.
George Mammarella’s business, Village Auto Sales and Service, experienced significant damage. The roof flew into the yard next to his repair shop and crushed multiple vehicles.
“I totally gutted it and remodeled it 30-some years ago and I just put a new roof on it about two years ago,” he said. “Who would ever think this? A tornado in the back alley of Mahanoy City. I got hit hard because they said it came up the railroad tracks.”
Mahanoy City Borough, Mahanoy Township and Schuylkill County officials encourage residents to take photos of damage, contact their insurance and keep track of costs incurred. Damages should be reported to the Mahanoy City Borough Office at 239 E. Pine St., Mahanoy City PA 17948 or the Schuylkill County Office of Emergency Management at 570-622-3739.
